Different Retinoid Micellar Formulations on Wound Healing: Efficacy and Collagen Structure

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Wound healing is crucial for restoring skin integrity, but current treatments face challenges like cost and drug resistance.
• Innovative and cost-effective alternatives are needed for effective wound management.
• Previous studies showed Phytoceutical® retinol micellar formulations accelerate wound closure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the early-stage wound healing efficacy of three Phytoceutical® retinoid formulations.
• To assess the impact of these retinoids on collagen structure during wound repair.
• To compare the wound healing potential of retinol, retinaldehyde, and retinoic acid.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a human-equivalent epidermal full-thickness skin model (HEFT-SM) with 3 mm punch wounds.
• Assessed wound repair using Haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining after two days.
• Quantified wound healing by measuring wound diameter contraction and examined collagen structure using Masson's trichrome staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM).

Main Results:

• All tested retinoid formulations promoted wound contraction, with efficacy ranging from 15% to 35% after two days.
• 0.3% retinol micelles exhibited the highest wound contraction (35 ± 2%), followed by 0.3% retinaldehyde (32 ± 3%) and 0.03% retinoic acid (15 ± 1%).
• Treatments stimulated collagen architectural changes, indicating potential remodeling activity.

Conclusions:

• Phytoceutical® retinoid formulations enhance early-stage wound healing and stimulate collagen remodeling.
• The observed wound healing may result from increased cellular proliferation, migration, epidermal differentiation, and tissue stratification.
• Combining Masson's trichrome staining and CLSM offers a novel method for assessing collagen structure in wound healing studies.